RIVER Exclusive Clip: Streaming on AsianCrush February 16th

From the director of the sci-fi comedy cult hit BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES comes another tiny time-loop adventure. Something very strange is happening at the Fujiya, a long-established inn in snowy Kyoto: Hot sake that doesn't get hot, no matter how long you boil it. A pot of ice porridge that won't go empty, no matter how much you eat. A bathroom that you can never leave, no matter how many times you run naked from the bath. Time is looping. Every 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, time rewinds and everyone & everything returns to where they were at the moment the loop began, though their memories continue. Chaos ensues as the ensemble of employees, guests, and passersby try to solve the time paradox, while working within the restraints of the loop. All have different reasons for escaping to the Fujiya – and some don't want to escape the time loop at all. While watching everyone join forces to investigate the cause, waitress Mikoto finds herself more and more alone.

River is a funny movie, a seriously funny movie. Every loop has jokes in it, from normalizing the weirdness of the situation, keeping a stiff upper lip, to embarrassing situations for Mikoto. These are a handful of examples; much more than that is playing out loop after loop evoking whoops of laughter at every turn of the minute hand. In true Japanese fashion the cause of the looping causes uproarious laughter as well. River is a bonafide laugh fest. 

 

In just two films the duo of Junta Yamaguchi and (*writer) Makoto Ueda have told stories that have stretched our mental fortitudes and more importantly made us laugh a lot and warmed our hearts. They shall hereby be known as two masters of micro-budget time-travel movies.